Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Yin Yoga?

The term Yin yoga borrows the concept from the Yin Yang theory of Daoism. Daoism is an ancient Chinese philosophy emphasizing living in harmony with the Way or the “Dao”. The term Dao means a road, it signifies the process of reality itself, the way things come together, while still transforming. Yin yoga is a beautiful practice that embraces this fundamental concept, combining the classical Hatha yoga postures but executed with the Daoist’s gracious non-intrusive approach.

In a Yin yoga practice, you will hold a yoga posture with minimal muscular effort for several minutes. The key of yin practice is to allow time and gravity to relax the physical body (specifically the fascia). As time passes by, our connective tissues begin to soften, allowing the body to open up with greater range of flexibility. Although, Yin yoga provides many physical benefits, it has a deeper practice in stilling the mind. As you hold still in a yin posture, you become the witness of your thoughts that pass through your consciousness.

2. how does yin yoga relate to Traditional Chinese MEdicine?

Based on traditional Chinese medicine, there are energy pathways in the body called Meridians. Energy or ‘Chi’ runs through these meridians, supporting our daily movement, health, and vitality. When energy stagnates or otherwise moving in disaccord, we experience physical pain, illness, and emotional turmoils. Yin yoga acts as acupressure, providing relief to any energetic blockages within our system. When energy flows, we feel radiant and happy. The magic of the Yin practice is to provide holistic healing both physically and emotionally.

3. What is Qi Gong?

Qi Gong is a holistic practice with coordinated body movement, breathing, meditation, and visualization used for the purposes of health and spiritual growth. With roots in Chinese martial arts, medicine, and philosophy, Qi Gong is commonly viewed as a practice to cultivate, preserve, and balance life energy (Qi or Chi). There are set Qi Gong sequences that we can do to gradually heighten our sensitivity. Qigong is suitable for all levels and ages. People do Qigong to maintain health, calm their minds, heal their bodies, and reconnect with their spirit.

4. Is Yin yoga the same as restorative yoga?

Both Yin yoga and Restorative yoga are passive and rejuvenating in nature. However, the main difference is that in a Restorative yoga class, you are encouraged to be completely comfortable. On the contrary, Yin yoga pushes our physical and emotional edges and can be quite challenging if you are leaning on the edges intensely.

5. Do you need to want to become a yoga teacher to come to a teacher training?

So often we think that we must want to teach in order to join a yoga teacher training. But that is not the case! If yoga has transformed your life in a positive way, and you want to deepen your interest further, joining a yoga training is the way to do it! Coming to a yoga teacher training is the best way to immerse yourself in a positive and safe environment while learning new transformative tools. You will learn about the wisdom from yoga philosophy, how to practice safely and effectively, and best to meet like-minded people from all over the world. Most of our students find that sharing their passion in yoga with the others gives them an immense amount of fulfilment. Many of them go on teaching yoga classes in their friends/family, colleagues, and then evolve to leading their own yoga retreats and trainings.

6. Why should I come to a destination yoga teacher training instead of one from my local studio?

There are so many reasons why joining a yoga teacher training away from home is beneficial. First of all, being away from home is to take yourself out of your comfort zone! A teacher training is more than a holiday retreat, it is a transformative process. When we are out of our comfort zone, we face dead-on with our deepest fears. The fear of non-acceptance, the fear of change… so on and so forth. Being with a supportive tribe helps us spark our spiritual awakening. Awakening- the desire to be your happiest self. Second of all, when we are out of our normal environment, we begin to appreciate the littlest things when we return home. The beauty of a yoga teacher training is to develop a mindfulness practice and to have gratitudes for all we receive in life.

7. WHAT are THE COURSE Pre-requisites?

Our yoga teacher trainings are available for you if you wish to learn more about yin yoga, Chinese meridians, and their synergetic benefits. We require you to stay open-minded to new knowledge, be committed to your personal practice, and have compassion for yourself and others. Minimum six months to one year of consistent practice in similar yoga styles are needed before joining us.

8. Do I need to be a RYT-200 before joining the yin yoga teacher training?

You do not need to be a RYT-200 before joining our training. Our yin yoga and meridians teacher training is designed for all walks of life. Many of our students are social workers who want to share the benefits of yin yoga with their clients, other students are experienced acupuncturists who have the desire to implement yoga in their consultations. Recognize that yin yoga is a deep practice for emotional processing, this practice serves all beings beyond the modern yoga community.

9. I am a RYT-200, how is teaching Yin yoga different from teaching Hatha/Vinyasa style?

How we teach Yin yoga is vastly different from how we teach Hatha/Vinyasa yoga classes. Most yoga teachers are encouraged to fill the air with alignment and breathing cues. On the contrary, the skill of teaching Yin yoga is to hold space-mostly in silence. There are minimal cueing in Yin yoga, and the job of the teacher is to guide the students silently through the postures with loving vibrations. Remaining silence is a skill most Vinyasa teachers struggle with, but can be learned and honed in with practice.

I have designed different lengths of the Yin yoga teacher training to cater to individual needs. The 30hr training spans over 3 to 4 days. It provides the fundamentals of yin yoga with the application of yin yoga. The 50hr course spans over 5 to 6 days. This is a slightly more in-depth course diving deeper into the primordial concepts of Daoism, Traditional Chinese medicine, and the exercise theory of Yin yoga. Lastly, the 100hr yoga teacher training provides a complete foundation of multi-layered yin practice with topics including functional anatomy, myofascia release, the twelve organ pathways, essential acupressure points, one-on-one practice teaching, and group presentation. For more details, view the Yin Yoga Teacher Training Curriculum.

11. CAN I TEACH Yin Yoga AFTER THIS COURSE?

Yes. Upon successful completion of our training program, you'll be able to lead Yin Yoga worldwide. Most of our graduates are now professional full-time yoga teachers and some also run their own yoga retreats and workshops.

12. are your COURSEs YOGA ALLIANCE ACCREDITED?

13. Will I receive the training certificate during my yoga training?

Upon successful completion of our Yin Yoga Teacher Training, you will receive a Yoga Alliance accredited teaching certificate in the graduation ceremony. In order to graduate, you must attend all mandatory hours, achieve satisfactory results in teaching, quizzes, homework, and presentations.

14. Do you offer vegan or gluten-free food options?

For all residential trainings, we provide vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free food options. Upon registration, we will also send you an intake form where you can indicate specific health-related diet preferences.

By default we are subject to the cancellation and refund policies of the host / studio regardless of which party should cancel the event.

All inquiries on cancellations / exceptions will be met by correspondents of the host / studio. Annie Au Yoga as a third party holds no responsibility of any sort on refunds for cancellations.

16. DO YOU OFFER ANY SCHOLARSHIPS?

Not at this moment. However, we make sure the pricing is reasonable and there are different options to suit your budget. We also offer early bird discount and monthly payment option.

17. Do i need any vaccinations?

Find out which vaccines you may or may not need traveling abroad, it's best to consult your local travel clinic before coming.

18. WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY LIKE?

Here is a sample schedule of a regular training day:

7:30-8am: Qigong, kriya, pranayama, meditation

8-10am: Morning asana

10-11am: Breakfast

11-1:30pm: Theory

1:30-3pm: Lunch, free time to the beach or pool

3-5:30pm: Asana clinic, practice teaching

5:45-6:45pm: Evening asana

7-8pm: Dinner

There is one day off per week. Evening is free time for you to enjoy Sayulita town, study/review, socialize with friends, and take rest.

19. WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

No doubt there are many courses out there and your options are limitless. This Yin yoga and meridians course is designed to gain authentic perspectives on the classical Hatha Yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine system. My goal is to help you see beyond the physical self and discover your spiritual nature. I’m here to help you to become your happiest self. If you’re ready for a positive shift in your life, this training is for you!